LSU scientists receive grant to further Antarctic research

BATON ROUGE- LSU scientists have secured nearly $3 million in NASA funding to develop a cryobot that will use lasers to melt through miles-thick Antarctic ice to search for life in lakes and oceans below.

Research from the Sub-glacial Polar Ice Navigation, Descent and Lake Exploration crybot, known as SPINDLE, will help develop a system that could be used in life-detection missions to one of the ice-covered ocean worlds of the outer solar system.

LSU geologist Peter Doran and Stone Aerospace founder Bill Stone have assembled a diverse team of polar and planetary scientists to develop the ice-penetrating system. The first part of the system will melt through the ice with powerful lasers. The system also will include a hovering autonomous underwater vehicle that will do reconnaissance, search for life and collect samples.